Photos by Linny Folau

Eleven people, including five children, were happy to reach Tongatapu safely yesterday evening after their small boat had failed to reach its destination Fonoifua Island in the Ha'apai Group on Monday, triggering a search and rescue operation.

The boat’s captain, Tevita Mateaki Fonua (62) said today that they had left Tongatapu at 2:00pm on Monday and expected to reach their home island of Fonoifua at around 10:00pm on Monday but the boat went off-course.

On the boat were Tevita and his son Maama Fonua (13), two brothers and owners of the boat Lata (29) and ‘Okusi Faha’ivalu (33). The passengers included a family, Siutaka (35) and Manase Leveni (33) and their three young children, the youngest a two-year-old girl. The two other passengers were a father Siua Moimoi and his son Sione (11). All passengers were from Fonoifua Island.

“When it got dark we had not spotted any island, it started raining and our navigation was off route so we decided to anchor the boat, and slept overnight intending to continue our journey the next day,” he said.

However, at around 7:00am on Tuesday 28 June they realized that their boat had gone adrift due to the anchor not hooking properly to anything on the ocean floor. The boat did not have any marine communication equipment on board, Tevita said.

Nevertheless, they continued sailing for an hour and still didn’t see any land. One of the passengers suggested that it was best they return to Nuku’alofa and all agreed so they turned around to sail back to where they started.

Tevita said, while sailing back they started experiencing engine problems and the boat’s engine went on and off numerous times.

“Later in the afternoon, after 5:00pm we saw ‘Eua and when we got close we got cellphone reception and one of our passengers rang his family at Fonoifua, who then rang the police in Nuku’alofa informing them of our whereabouts,” he said.

Tevita said just before their boat reached the Pangaimotu area last night, a fishing vessel from Nomuka arrived and towed them into the capital where they arrived after 9:00pm.

"I was confident we would make it back safely but we are all happy, especially the children, that we have returned safely." He said that everyone is well after their journey.

Tevita, who is a candidate for the district officer election for 'Otu Mu'omu'a held today, extended their thanks to everyone from government and in the search and rescue operation for the quick response and coordination.

He said the engine was being repaired and he intended to return to Fonoifua sometime this week.